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The Social Democratic Party has warned the Independent National Electoral Commission against interfering in its affairs, insisting that only the party itself can determine its internal matters.
The party welcomed the Supreme Court judgment dismissing an appeal filed by INEC on its leadership dispute, describing the ruling as a major victory for democracy, party autonomy, and the rule of law.
In a unanimous decision on Friday, the apex court threw out INEC’s appeal challenging the leadership of the SDP and awarded N2m costs against the commission. The Supreme Court described the appeal as lacking merit and purely academic.
INEC had sought to overturn the October 17 judgment of the Court of Appeal, Abuja Division, which affirmed a Federal High Court ruling compelling the commission to recognise and include SDP candidates in by-elections across 12 states.
Speaking at a press conference at the party’s national secretariat in Abuja after the ruling, Acting National Chairman of the SDP, Sadiq Gombe, said the apex court’s decision reaffirmed the long-settled legal position that the internal affairs of political parties are beyond the reach of external interference.
“This decision is very significant, not only for the SDP, but for all political parties in Nigeria. It affirms the long-standing position of the Supreme Court that the internal affairs of political parties are for the parties alone to determine,” he said.
Gombe urged INEC to fully comply with the judgment by allowing political parties to manage their internal processes in line with their constitutions. He also called on parties to uphold internal discipline and due process.
“We are grateful to the judiciary. We hope this judgment strengthens our democracy and the rule of law as we move towards 2027 and beyond. We understood their anxiety and passion, however justice must always prevail. We expect INEC to henceforth stop meddling in the internal affairs of political parties, as this has long been decided and settled by the honourable Supreme Court. The commission must also stop any dealings with suspended or expelled members of the party and immediately recognise the duly appointed Acting National Chairman, Shehu Gabam,” he said.
Also reacting to the ruling, lead counsel to the SDP and its 2023 presidential candidate, Adewole Adebayo, said the judgment sent a clear warning to INEC to refrain from actions capable of undermining Nigeria’s multi-party democracy.
“I have made it clear to INEC to stop interfering in the internal affairs of the SDP and other political parties. A multi-party democracy requires an umpire that is unbiased and not one that foments crises within opposition parties,” Adebayo said.
He insisted that the SDP had no leadership crisis, maintaining that the party’s national officers — including the National Chairman, Sadiq Umar Abubakar, the National Secretary, Dr Olu Agunloye, and members of the National Working Committee — are validly in office.
Adebayo explained that the dispute arose after the party appointed an Acting National Chairman who wrote to INEC to nominate candidates — a step the commission declined to recognise, choosing instead to deal with a chairman already removed by the party.
“The courts were clear that INEC had no such powers,” he said, recalling that the Court of Appeal affirmed the SDP’s right to change its leadership and authorised the acting chairman to act for the party.
“Despite those decisions, INEC pursued the matter to the Supreme Court, which dismissed the appeal and awarded a ₦2m cost against the commission — a penalty that will ultimately be borne by Nigerian taxpayers. It is unfortunate for the taxpayer, but it is a necessary lesson for INEC to leave the SDP, and indeed all political parties, alone,” he added.
Adebayo warned that democracy would be imperilled if opposition parties were weakened through institutional interference. “If only the ruling party exists, there will be no democracy. Nigerians must have real choices,” he said.
The Supreme Court ruling, the party noted, reinforces the principle of party supremacy and signals judicial intolerance for undue interference by regulatory institutions in the internal affairs of political parties.
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